7

E.-3B

The following table gives full particulars of the expenditure:—

APPENDIX. Eepobt re Increase in Committals to the Boys' Eefokmatoky. The inquiries of the Council show that the causes of the increase in the number of inmates of the Boys' Eeformatory are— (1.) Increased number of boys committed. —The committals during the last five years are—lB92-93, 27; 1893-94; 14; 1894-95, 25; 1895-96, 36; 1896-97 (ten months), 54. (2.) The extention of the age of detention from sixteen to eighteen years of age.—Of the 54 boys sentenced, 8 were over sixteen years of age, and 3 under sixteen when committed are now over that age. In addition to these, 2 boys committed between January and June, 1896, nearly and over sixteen years old, are still inmates. (3.) The difficulty of obtaining situations for eligible inmates in consequence of the drought in agricultural districts.—Number placed at service in 1892-93, 12 ; 1893-94, 13; 1894-95, 6 ; 1895-96, 5; 1896-97, 1. Thus is practically explained the cause of the increased number of inmates in the Eeformatory. It is felt, however, that the increase in the committals was evidence of an increase in juvenile criminality, and the Council has endeavoured to ascertain if this is so and the reason for such a condition of things. It has obtained reports from the Police-magistrate, the Inspectors of Police, and Mr. F. E. Burton on this subject, and has also had the statements of a number of the boys recently committed as to their previous mode of life, &c. The Inspector of Police states that, in his opinion, juvenile crime is increasing, and the following statement apparently proves this : Number of boys charged with offences in the city of Adelaide during—lB9s-96, 87, of whom 48 were for larceny; 1896-97 (ten months), 131, of whom 87 were for larceny. This return would be subject to modification if the ages of these boys could be ascertained, because for the first half of 1895-96 the record applies only to boys under sixteen years old. Assuming, however, that the percentage of boys over sixteen is the same for that six months as the number committed to the reformatory during the second half of 1895-96 (9 per cent.) the total of that year would be only increased to 91. From the reports referred to, the statement of the boys committed, and the experience of the officers of the department, it seems that this evident increase of juvenile criminality is largely due to laxity of parental control and parental indifference to the conduct of children. Truancy is a considerable factor in the genesis of the juvenile delinquent, and though it cannot be said that it is altogether the result of parental neglect, yet in many instances boys begin playing truant and become confirmed truants because their parents care nothing about them attending school. To parental neglect is due the practice indulged in by numerous children of running the streets in the evenings and until late at night for the purpose of begging and pilfering. These boys (truants and street runners) mix with other and vicious boys who instruct them in the many vices indulged in by themselves ; they sleep out at nights, and eventually become criminals. Drunken and dissolute parents not only neglect their children, but send them out in the streets to sell newspapers, vestas, &c, in order that they (the parents) may obtain money to spend in drink. " Most of this class of children are brought up without any idea of education or religion," says Inspector Sullivan; and this neglect, added to the bad example of their parents and the demoralising effect"of street life, makes criminals of the children.

Heads o( Expenditure. Actual Expenditure. Proportion of Administrative Expenditure. Total. sills §§* Cr. by Proauce sola and supplied to Institutions. Dr. to Produce from Boys' Reformatory. «8 o> © The central administration Industrial School Girls' Reformatory Boys' Reformatory Placing out, medical attendance, and supervision of children placed out Subsidy for boarded-out children Licensed foster - mothers and lying-in homes £ s. a, 1,911 10 0 £ s. a. £ s. a. £ s. d. s s. a. 31 9 9 s. d. 0 7| s. d. 0 7| 670 7 10 1,096 7 9 1,880 15 8 1,871 12 1 84 15 5 48 4 1 126 6 6 1,652 4 0 755 3 3 1,144 11 10 2,007 2 2 3,523 16 1 51 29 76 994 664 9 11 143 12 7 85 18 5 196 18 10 31 0 0 6 9J 16 3| 7 9§ 1 i'i 8 0 14 8f 8 7J 1 2| 7,281 7 11 7,281 7 11 119 18 5 119 18 5 *142 7 4 t83 3 0 Total .. Less revenue 14,831 19 8 1,388 14 4 13,443 5 4 1,911 10 0 14,831 19 8 1,150 664 9 11 664 9 11 Net cost to the State • soia. t Frotit on carpenters' sh We hi top. ave, &c, T. Ehodes, President, J. B. Whiting, Secretar The Hon. the Chief Secretary.